Fashion crisis!

[telophase]

I've been shopping for the Japan trip, keeping in mind that the climate of the area of Japan that we'll be in at the time of year we'll be there, is much like that of Atlanta. So everything I've been getting is lightweight. Naturally, this year the only lightweight pants out there are all cropped above the ankle or are capris (mind you, I'm short enough that a capri is not actually a capris on me).

Now, I've got this weird thing about pants short enough to show my socks: they make me feel like an incredible dork in highwaters. Which means I'm going to be dorky for the entire trip, since there's no way I'm walking around all day and not wearing socks with my shoes - I blister way too easily for that.

So, I consult the internets. If it makes any difference, these are the shoes I've got that I will probably be wearing. :)

[Poll #1012370]

Comments

[vom-marlowe.livejournal.com]

I had to answer honestly. Even though it is in fashion, I feel revealed socks are dorky. *hangs head*

And my migraine solution suggestions are as follows:
Chockie lactose free ice cream
http://www.sodeliciousdairyfree.com/products/purely_decadent_chocolate_obsession.html
Really good coffee
Even more massive amounts of drugs

[telophase.livejournal.com]

I can hope against hope that they'll be in fashion in Japan, so that I can merely be one amongst a whole crowd of dorks. I did discover that I can wear those shoes without socks, so at least around work I'm not dorky, but there's no way I'm walking for longer than my car in the parking lot to me desk without socks. :)

[vom-marlowe.livejournal.com]

Yeah. I think I'd probably also get some of that moleskin stuff, but my feet are crazy easy to blister.

I keep meaning to buy some of those easy travel outfits that you can shake out and wear with no wrinkles, etc, but i never do.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

I've resorted to the Hiker's Trick before - you get very thin cotton socks and layer them under a thicker pair. They rub against each other, instead of your skin, so you don't blister. :D

[solarbird]

It totally depends on the sock. All you need are sufficiently cute socks.

Of course, this is one of my mottos in life, so perhaps I am biased in this matter. ^_^

[affreca.livejournal.com]

Maybe linen? I've found some this year as full length pants, and they are loose and breathe well. Of course, then you have the wrinkle problem.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Yeah, the wrinkle problem is sort of major, since I'm living out of a suitcase for thee weeks and lack the necessary gene to pack wrinkle-free. :D

I've got most of the pants already; this is more of a case of confirming what I suspected instead of finding alternatives.

[readsalot.livejournal.com]

I await your conclusions with interest, because I'm in the same situation myself (going to Japan, sandals hurt my feet, must wear socks.)

[croaky.livejournal.com]

It is pretty dorky but, there is always low-cut socks to try.

Tea is always good.

[fmanalyst.livejournal.com]

Socks are dorky but if you must, just get the little footie types that don't actually come up on your ankle. They're not quite as bad. But I've found that it's better to pack at least two pairs of shoes that fit your feet differently and alternate them. Even the most comfortable pair of shoes will cause blisters if they're the only ones you wear. So pack those shoes and at least one pair of sandals.

As for migraines, a dark room and a Sanzo plushie.

[wyrdness.livejournal.com]

It is quite dorky, but the dork look can be charming if you're not self conscious about it! :) Like people above me I'd suggest those really short type socks if you absolutely can't stand to look dorky, or do what I used to do and cunningly fold your socks down. ;)

[tygerr.livejournal.com]

Ankle socks.

(And Sanzo, of course.)

[chomiji]

If they're relatively rough-and-ready cropped pants (cargo crops or denims or maybe even sturdy twills), short socks with walking shoes or hiking boots don't look all that terminally dorky because it's obvious you're being Practical and Sensible. But with more fashionable capris, and with (God help us) sandals, it looks really, really dorky.

Of course, this is based on observations of my 15-year-old daughter's theater geek friends on their way to theater camp. But they tend to have a certain offbeat flair in their dress sense, being theatrical types.

For your head, I can only suggest turning off the lights, closing your eyes, and doing some deep breathing from time to time.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

The ones I have are tending more to the cargo side of things, so there's that, at least. :)

[solarbird]

Socks with sandals are ALWAYS out. Occasionally practical, but out. I don't care what the 90s thought.

[chomiji]

A fair number of our local former hippie geeks (I live in a town notorious for such), male and female, wear socks and sandals throughout the winter. That's just How Things Are in Tacky Park, and there's no arguing with them. But if someone's wearing such a combo with a tie-dyed T-shirt or one saying "Peoples Republic of Takoma Park," at least you know what you're up against.

I tend to revert to Tevas sans socks outside of work hours the minute the temperature gets near 70°F. In colder weather I have to wear some sort of a walking shoe with socks - but they can't make me like it!

[the-z.livejournal.com]

If I ever have to wear socks with my sandals (for weather purposes) I wear ankle socks. Otherwise, socks with sandals look so Wal-Mart anymore XD Hey, in the 90's it was cool!

[plasticchimera.livejournal.com]

A cool washcloth (dampen it, put it in the freezer for a bit) laid over the eyes while lying down should help some. It'll make the blood vessels contract, which should help the pain.

[cschells.livejournal.com]

I struggle with this exact fashion problem every time we go to France in warmish weather. (I realize France is not Japan, but for what it's worth...) My solution is threefold: jeans and sensible shoes for most outings, paired with the coolest shirt possible; a cute skirt/dress with cute-but-comfortable (and thin, so you can pack them) sandals for nicer destinations; and, finally (and somewhat optionally), the all-out sporty/hiking look (like cargo shorts and tennis shoes) for the days when you wake up and just don't care. I realize it means taking three pairs of shoes, potentially, but I've decided that it's worth it. And I'm not a shoe person. I pretty much only own three pairs of shoes, actually.

[tammylee.livejournal.com]

If you wear ankle socks it would be fine, imo. (Those socks that only come up to your ankles?)

[cyberpilate.livejournal.com]

Socks are always not cool unless you're in Japan and they're HUGE or some such. Oh, the whimsy of it all.

Migraine bits? Sleep an option?

[madame-manga.livejournal.com]

On a walking tour, practicality in footwear trumps all. No one looks like a Vogue model when she's dragging around with a tortured limp in her gait. Ankle socks are just fine with cropped pants, IMO -- hey, I wear them all the time, albeit with lace-up walking shoes rather than clogs, and naturally MY stamp of fashion approval is ALL YOU NEED. :D

Or you can wear bright patterned socks to show that you're doing it on purpose. If you can't hide it, STRUT it! Oh, and I had a couple of lightweight crinkly linen dresses for Hawaii and North Carolina that packed with no worries... try the Travelsmith catalog.

[benchilada.livejournal.com]

Coffee.
Then whiskey.
Rinse.
Repeat.

[boniblithe.livejournal.com]

:)

[telophase.livejournal.com]

The only person who's checked that option who's actually, like, supplied Sanzo! You are officially Cool!

(I should make a "Telophase Thinks I'm Cool" badge and see what happens. XD)

[cicer.livejournal.com]

I often wear socks and sneakers with shorts or capris. It may look dorky (and my mother always laughs at me when I do it) but I don't care. Sandals chafe my feet and flip-flops just aren't practical when I expect to be doing a lot of walking. So socks it is!

TMI footwear

[movingfinger.livejournal.com]

I've been working on my own packing, so I have all this fresh thinking to share with you!

Bring a pair of sandals or a pair of lightweight, airy shoes with you to alternate with those. My hunch on looking at them is that your feet will sweat a lot, therefore be at high risk of blistering and chafing, because those clogs are heavy for hot and humid weather.

A lot of shoe companies, including Merrell, are offering good hot-weather shoes this year; they have heavy soles (like the one you like) but parts of them are mesh or webbing or pierced for ventilation. Consider trying a few pair on if you have time. There are even cute Mary Jane styles; adjustable strap or lacing is helpful in hot weather.

For the sock issue, colorful ankle socks (http://paintedkiwi.com/fun-colorful-socks.html) with those will look great! In fact the more colorful and funky the better! Dark socks will look odd and white socks will look grubby fast. Look for a wool blend; this will be kindest to your feet. (Target has some socks with a wonder fiber, they all had "Merola" on the label but I don't know if that's a fiber or what, that were (1) wicking-ish, to help keep feet comfortable (2) lightweight (3) attractive and (4) inexpensive. Oh, and antibacterial. I have been testing various pairs and find they are wearing very well.) Check the label of any sock you buy and avoid any nylon content, nylon is the scourge of blister-prone feet. Polypropylene, which breathes and wicks, is good. Wool and wool blends are perfect.

Take many blister dressings with you in many sizes. The gel-pad type are completely effective if you put them over a chafe spot as soon as you notice it heating up. They are of course most effective for cushioning and protecting a blister once it forms. Take a lot, because despite the claim on the label they do soak off in the bath, pool, or shower.

I always travel with a heavy-duty walker like those you've chosen, a pair of sneakers, and a pair of flat, light sandals, such as flip-flops. Sad feet, sad traveler.

Each morning when traveling, I dust Gold Bond powder (the yellow bottle, not the green one) on my feet. Gold Bond contains salicylate and helps reduce inflammation as well as reducing friction.

I have seen petroleum jelly recommended as a friction reducer but have never tried it myself.

There was a period in Italy when all the hot women were wearing Timberland boots. With everything.

More links:

Life is Good wool socks (http://www.lifeisgood.com/category/footwear/merino-wool-socks/quarter-length.aspx)

Smartwool, at a discount (http://www.sierratradingpost.com/search/SearchResults.aspx?searchDescriptions=true&Ne=9000000&allAnyWords=&searchWithin=&anyWords=&N=9000230&exactPhrase=&allWords=smartwool%20sock) (These are the best. Smartwool makes tons of colorful cute socks, not just what's here, but these are cheap.)

Re: TMI footwear

[telophase.livejournal.com]

I have never found a pair of sandals or lightweight, airy shoes that allowed me to walk more than a quarter of a mile without giving me horrible blisters or sore spots. As long as I'm in socks, I've solved the problem by using the hiker's trick of a pair of thin cotton socks underneath the more absorbent pair, and they rub against each other instead of my foot, so no blisters.

I'm not too worried about the weight of the shoes - I've spent a month in England walking everywhere (during 2003, the first 100-degree summer in recorded history), plus I live in Texas and wear big heavy shoes everywhere anyway. :D (I'm wearing the ones I linked to today, actually, without socks, and they're amazingly comfortable. I even walked to lunch with no problem - it was less than half a mile of course, but my other no-sock shoes wouldn't have made it.)

THanks for the sock links, and the Gold Bond powder trick looks like a good idea. :D

[flamika.livejournal.com]

Thirding (?) the suggestion for ankle socks. ^^ Those are awesome shoes, by the way. I have them in a similar style, but they're black and were really cushion-y inside until I wore them flat.

Have you tried Bermuda shorts as an alternative to capris? I'm also terribly short, and capris just end up looking like high-waters on me. Bermuda shorts have worked really well for me, though.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Anything shorter than a capri that's lightweight tends to ride up in the middle, and I end up walking like a duck in a (not very) discreet attempt to get them to go back down again. :)

[homasse.livejournal.com]

Drink a couple cups of coffee--it's amazing what caffeine does for migraines.

Also! I can't remember it I replied back to rachelmanija or not about meeting up with y'all while you're here! (I thought I did, but I have NO MEMORY and it occured to me yesterday I needed to, like, talk to y'all). At any rate, do y'all want to meet up in Osaka or Kyoto? I haven't been to either place and would love any excuse to go. I have to work on Sundays, but other than that, I can shift my schedule around if need be. :D Or we can bounce around Nagoya and maybe go to Nagoya Castle, which I STILL haven't done, despite being near Nagoya for a couple months.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Not sure at the moment. :D We've got a couple or three nights between Tokyo and Kyoto not booked anywhere yet, and are FREEEEEE and EEEASY for them. I'm sort of weirdly taken with going to one of the national parks (which I know aren't like parks in the US :D) during that time, although we could do a day trip or an overnight, and I'd kind of like to go to Osaka. OTOH, we've got something like a full week in Kyoto, so a day-trip down to Osaka wouldn't be out of the question, either. SO ..... I dunno! Aren't I helpful?!

The three free days are in the middle of the week, and as I said, a full week in Kyoto with nothing scheduled as of yet, so there's like ten days to work with. Which ten days? Er ... somewhere around Sept 2-11, I think. We fly out the 11th.

[telophase.livejournal.com]

* And Nagoya's another possibility, too. Whee! :D

[telophase.livejournal.com]

*wikipedia* Ooh, Atsuta Shrine nearby, Tokaido Road connection ... *history geek*

[telophase.livejournal.com]

Okay, I'm now obsessed with Atsuta Shrine. XD

[m00nface.livejournal.com]

I know I'm really late to this, but having not been to Nagoya either, if none of you have any objections maybe I could join you guys for that? I believe it's cheaper and easier for me to get there than Tokyo, and allows me to kill two Japanese-meeting birds with one self-invitation stone! I'm free all August...

[homasse.livejournal.com]

Right now,k we're thinking about meeting up to go to the ninja house in (I think) Kyoto. But plans are, shall we say, sketchy.

That said, if you want to come down to Nagoya, let me know! I live in Okazaki, and Okazaki-jo, where Tokugawa Ieyasu was born, is here, and I'm a slacker and has never been.

[mistressrenet.livejournal.com]

Capris make me look even shorter, so I plead the fifth on the subject.

Apparently cold packs help some people?

[m00nface.livejournal.com]

Fashion in Japan: if not open-toed sandals, it would seem that you can wear ankle-socks with any number of shoes on the condition that they are the cute socks sold here. Downside: the cute socks are invariably lacy, hence the cuteness. Upside: they are also stretchy, with a spot of padding at the heel and under the ball of the foot, really helpful in blister reduction. I recommend ignoring the sock issue at home and stopping by your local supermarket to pick up a few cheap cute socks when you get here, allowing you to roam around in capris with comfortable feet without the worry of dorkiness! My local Aeon supermarket (this one's a Jusco) sells three pairs for 1000yen, and they fit my larger-than-average European feet without rubbing or feeling too tight. Uniqlo or any such cheaper clothing store probably does them for a similar price. Sorry this is late, but hope it helps!